Mohave County miner., 1887-03-12

The fruit must be ''stem cut, An
sdroit expert learns TO clip the fruit,
holding II between the third and fourth
fingers and the shoulder Of the thumb.
trsDserring II lightly 20 the pouch sus-
pended at his neck. The musk Of the
wind-shaken, crushed, thorn. pierced and
fallen fruit, the pungent aromatic
odors Of the leaves and oil-glands load
the air with fragrance ~ the exhilarat.
ing task proceeds.
A bright dry day must be chosen, as
moisture on the rind tends % decay, and
there must be caution In handling. n,
one bruised orange may infect an entire
box or crate.
A brisk hand stem cutting In full
crop can average three hundred by the
hour, or thrcc thousand apples per day.
but this Ia not frequent, on account OF
the cautious handling. The picker
transfers his sack or basket carefully 10
the drying.house, where the fruit is
spread out to dry. This sweating pro-
cess occupies three or more days A
good dry-house Is arranged with slate
shelves. that the air may penetrate 10
the interssicss OF the strips. A light
fire Is Of advantage as Il promotes the
drying, by which the rind becomes
firmer, taking crisp, horny texture,
protecting the pulp from bruising.
The next step Is selecting, removing
all bruised, thorn-pricked or injured
fruit into separate lots. This, which
should precede arranging on drying
floors or shelves. to avoid contact, Is
followed by separating the rusty fruit
from the bright yellow. II this Is care
fully done. selection may be made OF
rusty fruit in which the bronze con-
trasts prettily with the gold on the
orange, like the bloom on . peach. As
the rust In no way impairs flavor or
iuiciness, well-selectcd box Of rust
fruit compares with the '.brighnv
Sorting is putting oranges OF the
feme diameter In separate heaps. Tho
next step is wrapping. A thin tissue
paper Is used, cut into squares Of twelve
or fourteen inches, tho Florida sweet
seeding averaging ten inches In cir
cumfcrcnce; oblong, 0yg. mandarin be-
ing smaller. Setting the fruit on the
sheet spread on the open palm, closing
the hand uhitcs the corners for twist
OF the right hand, and Il ~ wrapped.
The fruit Is packed in thin elastic boxes
l2x12x27 outside measurement --the
wrapped orange Is packed stem down
and, Of an average thrcc-is.ch diameter,
will hold four rows of niRe TO the row,
or 156. The usual continent Of the
South Florida fruit, however, Is l2s.
packed apple above apple, with paper
division 10 each layer.
The packing box is divided In the
middle, the ends and partition being Of
firm half-:nch wood and the sides Hex
ible. BY arranging the fruit differently,
as ~ required In sizes exceeding or less
than average diameter, space Is econ
omized by alternating the rows TO fit the
diverse and re-entering curves. A
size running i76 can be set by alternate
threes and fours, and be 80 packed.
The process Is delicate. The packing
must be close, fitting with even pres
sure without brnisisg, 70 bear the jar.
ring Of careless stcycdorcs md long
who annually exaspcras the
cropper. In fitting the box layer Of
paper Is put at the bottom and one
lapped shove and below, so that the
Iold. after the successive layers are
.loscly fitted, may lap over and cover
he top. This upper row should rise
rot to exceed quarter of an inch above
he box edging. that, on mailing down
he elastic top. the spring Of wood fiber
n II may have . firm. constant pressure,
Q resist iarring and displacement
Southern Birop0c.